The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-04-26
WAR OF THE REBELLION.
Events Reviewed at Length by JEFF
ferson Davis.

New ORLEANS, April 25.-Jefferson Davis
has replied to the communication of Gen.
Beauregard, printed Sunday, animadverting
on the remarks of the former, delivered at
the time of the unveiling of the bronze
equestrian statue of Albert Sidney Johnston
at Metairie cemetery in this county on April
9th. Davis says: My remarks were unpre-
meditated, and under the circumstances it
would have been very difficult, if not i'm
possible, to make an exact report. 1t seems,
however, to have been sufficiently clear to be
understood by the writer of the communica-
tion, who undertakes to reduce quotation
to plain language, and then, in explanation
of his plain language, shows he knew the
meaning of my remarks. If he did not, l
will aid his understanding by specially stat
ing that, in my opinion, the only mistake of
Gen. Johnston in relation to the battle of
Shiloh was in not making the order of march
from C0rinth towards Pittsburgh Landing,
for which his large experience in the move
ment of troops peculiarly qualified him, in
stead of entrusting that duty to Gen. Beau
regard, his second in command, who had
seen comparatively little service with troops
in the field
If in this way. it appears by contempor-
aneous statements, a day was needlessly
spent in the march, it was a mistake with
serious consequences. He follows with the
bold assertion that was mistaken in sup
posing the telegraphic despatch had been
lost in which Gen. Johnston explained to
me his plan of battle. 10 prove my mistake
the announcement is made that it is not lost.
One might reasonably expect after such
declaration, that the despatch described by
me would be produced, but instead thereof,
there is given despatch reciting the order
of march frem Corinth and the assignment
to positions on the field, and this telegram
| now occupying our attention, poor fulfil
| ment OF hope suggested by the round asser-
| ton that the despatch referred to by me had
| not been lost: In regard to the last despatch
/ stated nothing on the 9th inst. Both des-
| patches were lost but the one published was
supplied from an original in the possession
| of W. G. Johnston.
1t gave the order of march and the general
| disposition of the battle; the other, as stated,
| was in cipher agreed upon between Gen.
| Johnston and myself, and only used on
reasons, was not, therefore, to be found in
| his letter book. [ shall not notice in detail
the self laudation of the long commuHica-
tion under review, but will merely say that
| If Gen. Beauregard was the author of the
| plan of the battle, if he was present through
out with the troops who fought it, if he was
| ON the field when Gen. Johnston fell, If the
enemy had not been driven from point to
point, ald if Gen. Beauregard throughout
the whole day before, as well as after the
eral movements of our forces and did after
the fall of his chief actively press the attack
so that the right and centre of the enemy
began to give way in confusion after Gen.
Beauregard had assumed command, and if
the order to retire was not given till after an
attempt to make a concerted onslaught had
been made, but which was, as he states,
dilatory, without spirit or ardor, and failed
in effect andit was not till just before sunset
that he ordered a cessation of hostilities
then many eye witnesses of good repute
have greatly missed the important facts in
regard to the battle of Shiloh, and especially
as to how victory was well-nigh won and
how it was forfeited. Mere association will
rebut that mass of evidence which has
been adduced. have no disposition to en-.
ter into this controversy and did not mention
Gen. Beauregard either by name or official
designation in my remarks of the 9th inst
He undertook to make plain as a reference
to himself what might generally be supposed
to belong to some staff officer, but he knew
the rightful owner and claimed his own and
proved that it could not refer to anything
which happened on the field of Shiloh. II
would have been more pertinent If he had
SHOWN that the order Of march had not been
tne cause of the delay In the arrival OF
troops at the point Of junction.